The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is pushing for Google to sell its Chrome browser in an effort to address concerns over Google’s monopoly in the search market. The push comes after a judge ruled earlier this year that Google maintained an illegal search monopoly. This significant move aims to enhance competition and player diversity within the search engine sector.
Google faces pressure from DOJ to unbundle Android and sell Chrome
According to a Bloomberg report, the DOJ plans to request the trial judge overseeing Google’s antitrust case to mandate the divestiture of Chrome. As the world’s most popular browser, Chrome’s integration with Google Search has been identified as a significant barrier that restricts competition. The DOJ is advocating for measures that would separate Google Search from Chrome and the Android operating system, while stopping short of demanding the sale of Android itself.
The proposed requirements include the necessity for Google to share search data more freely with advertisers, granting them increased control over their ad placements. Furthermore, the DOJ suggests that Google should provide websites with better options to restrict how their content is utilized by Google’s AI systems. Additional recommendations involve the prohibition of exclusive contracts, which have been pivotal in the current case against Google.
In response to the DOJ’s actions, Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google’s Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, criticized the DOJ’s approach, stating that it represents a radical agenda that goes beyond the legal issues at hand. The DOJ’s latest steps appear to be a continuation of a broader initiative to curtail the dominance of large tech companies.
With Chrome being a gateway to various Google services, the government’s perspective is that its bundled nature creates unfair advantages and stifles competition. By selling Chrome, Google would theoretically remove a key tool that it uses to promote its search engine dominance.
The DOJ also seeks to separate Android from its well-established ecosystem, which includes Google Search and Google Play. Although previously the DOJ suggested that Google sell Android entirely, this notion has been revised to focus more on unbundling rather than divestment. This shift indicates a more measured approach to tackling what officials view as anti-competitive practices.
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The DOJ’s recommendations also extend to licensing data and allowing rival companies to access Google’s search results. The next steps in this ongoing legal battle include a scheduled two-week hearing in April 2025 where the court will evaluate what changes Google must implement to address its anticompetitive behavior. A final ruling on the matter is expected to be delivered in August 2025.
Through enforcing recommendations that promote competition, the government may set a precedent with monumental implications for tech players and consumers in years to come.
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